Easel



(NoModL) M. A. MAXWELL.

EASEL.

Patented Aug. 23, 1887.v

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UNITED STATES Parnnrr Urrrca.

MARY A. MAXW'ELL, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

EASEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 368,677, dated August 23, 1887 Application filed November 3, 1886. Serial No. 217,861. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IVLIRY A. MAXWELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Easels, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to produce an easel that can be secured to a table or other support, and which can be placed at any de sired inclination or turned to any required position, and at the same time be held firmly, and also capable of being packed in a very small space.

The invention consists of an easel provided on its rear side with a ball that fits and is held in a socket on the outer end of a bracket that is capable of being clamped to a table or other support.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of an easel connected with a bracket and embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan or top view of the clamp-bracket. Fig. 3 is a view of the ball, showing its connection to the easel. Fig. 4 shows the easel packed up. Fig. 5 is a section through m 00 of Fig. 4.

A is a bracket provided with jaws B B, a thumbscrew, O, passing through the jaw B, by means of which the bracket can be attached to the edge of a table or other support. The outer end of the bracket A is provided with a socket formed in two parts, D D, the portion D being formed in one piece with the bracket A, and the portion D is formed with a plate or extension, (2, that fits against the side of the bracket A, (see Fig. 2,) a thumb-screw, c, passing through the bracket A and into the plate (1, whereby the latter is held in position.

E is a bar, preferably of wood; but it may be of any other suitable material. To the rear and in the center of this bar is secured a ball, F. WVhen the bar is of wood, I prefer to attach the ball in the manner shown in Fig. 3-that is, I provide the ball F with a neck, f, the end of which is secured by solder or other suitable means to a band of metal, 6, that embraces the bar E, the ends being soldered together, thereby holding it firmly; or the ball may be attached to the barin any suitable and convenient manner.

G G are rests or clamps formed of pieces of material placed at right angles, the projectarefree to be moved upon the bar E, and when in the desired position are secured by means of thumb-screws H. The face of the projecting piece I I out out, as shown, so as to form a recess, 5, and in each end of said recess I cut a notch, 6. When it is desired to clamp any circular article in the easel-such as a plaque+the two clamps G G are brought to Ward each other until the edges of the plaque rest and are firmly held in the notches 6 6.

It will be seen that whatever is placed on the easel, and the clamps G G brought hard against its edges and secured by the screws H H, it will be held firmly, and can be placed at any desired inclination, and also turned to any required angle, a Very great advantage, especially when'used by ladies, as by thus being able to adjust the easel as desired the artists hand can be retained in a more natural position, thereby rendering the workless tedious, and the picture can also be shifted to obtain any desired light Without removal from the ease]; or by tightening up the thumb-screw e the plate d will be drawn so as to cause the portion D of the socket to press hard upon the ball F, so as to prevent the easel being moved.

In Figs. eiand 5 I have shown the easel as packed together, the bar E being laid upon the rests or clamps G G, and held thereto by thumb-screws J,:passing through the clamps G into the bar E.

Although I have described the easel as a bar provided with two sliding clamps, and which I consider the most convenient, yet I do not confine myself to this particular construction of easel, as any easel that is capable of being supported by a ball-and-socket joint might answer the purpose.

WVhat 'I claim as my invention is 1. The bracket A, provided with jaws B B and thumb-screw G, the clamping-socket D D and thumb-screw e, in combination with an easel provided with a ball, F, substantially as In testimony whereof I have signed my name shown and described. to this specification in the presence of two sub- 2. In an easel supported by a ball-andscribing witnesses. socket joint, the rests or clamps G, provided MARY A. MAXWELL. 5 with the recess 5 and notches 6 6, for holding Witnesses:

articles of a circular form, substantially as E. PLANTA, shown and described. W. A. OONNELLY. 

